8/3/08

The Long and Not Winding Road: Elroy-Sparta Bike Trail

Live to ride, ride to live. One motorcyclist, preferring not to pedal off into the sunset, passed us as we dined in a one-room school house-cum-restaurant.

Not everywhere was Charlie Trotter's Restaurant. This is the Hidden Inn. We expected something bed and breakfast like, but instead found a local biker bar that also served as a place to register turkey and deer kills. Fantastic burgers.

As you can see, the walls are not done on the outside. Inside, besides the cigarette smoke, it was a basic bar and grill, with most patrons opting for the bar aspect. One woman offered us to join her at her home to smoke some pot. Not being smokers of any sort, we politely declined, and she got into her truck, beer in hand, and left. There was not anything we could do to stop her.

Our wheels drew a lot of attention, but unfortunately, not much speed. We only rode 22 miles.

Three tunnels were along the route. We rode through a 3/4 mile one, and walked a 1/4 mile one, which you see here. That was part of a six-mile walk.

No ghosts were these entering 'the light', but two weary bikers who walked through the tunnel.

The path was in many ways like where I run, but we saw no runners, and the views were incomparable.